A growing number of surgical instruments are powered by one or more battery cells. Such instruments include a variety of electrically powered implements and may be used in a variety of surgical environments. Battery-powered surgical instruments may include motor-driven implements, such as cutters, graspers, and/or staplers, for example. Battery-powered surgical instruments may also include non-motor driven implements, such as RF cutter/coagulators, ultrasonic cutter/coagulators, and/or laser cutter/coagulators, for example. Battery-powered instruments are also used now in various different surgical environments including, for example, endoscopic environments, laparoscopic environments, and open environments.
Battery-powered surgical instruments often utilize primary cells, which are pre-charged and often intended for a single discharge (e.g., one use). Using single discharge cells avoids the difficulties associated with re-sterilizing and recharging cells. Primary cells, however, present challenges related to shipping, storage and disposal. For example, charged cells can result in hazardous waste if not properly discharged since they may be only used once and still have significant amount of charge left. To mitigate the risks, many jurisdictions have regulations governing the conditions under which cells may be shipped and disposed. Cells and batteries with higher amounts of stored energy are required to be shipped, stored, and disposed of with safety measures that are more stringent and often more expensive.